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Press Kit On VA Bill: Information At Your Fingertips
By
on
Proponents of better connectivity in Virginia are setting off alarms about HB 2108, a bill that will effectively bar municipal networks and prevent local communities from working with private sector partners. In order to educate the public about the miseries this bill will present, Friends of Municipal Broadband developed a press kit with materials to help spread the word.
At a January 18th morning press conference, the grassroots group consisting of local community leaders, citizens who want to control their own broadband decisions, and members of the private sector who are concerned about partnering with local communities, handed out the information.
The kit contains:
- A thorough bill commentary, describing each section and how it may impact local efforts. The memorandum provides detailed analysis and citations.
- A quick reference “Fast Facts” sheet that describes how big cable and DSL companies have tightened their grip on telecommunications in Virginia. This two-pager describes how the anti-competitive environment is negatively affecting people and businesses and how HB 2108 is designed to crush one of the last saving graces of rural Virginia - municipal Internet infrastructure.
- Bill supporters list
- Speaker quotes and contacts list
- Maps of satisfactory and unsatisfactory service in the state
- Image quotes for social media and resources you share, like the one on this page
A press kit like this one is a quick and effective way to have information ready to share with others interested in learning more. Easily accessible resources like these can travel with constituents as they visit their elected officials. Short, to the point, and organized, legislators can get relevant information quickly, so they are less likely to put it aside and forget about it.
Virginians can use the resources in the press kit, along with our fact sheet on Virginia municipal networks, to educate others who are wondering why HB 2108 is such a threat to better connectivity, especially in rural areas.
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